Chapter 266 The Last Time

On August 29th, at the foot of the mountain of Ya'an, a force of more than 30,000 people set out from here. The ninth division, which was ordered to enter Tibet, bought more than 30,000 bags of tea merchants in Ya'an, and bought nearly 40,000 mule horses from the Ma Gang in a half-strong and half-high price. At the same time, it also paid a "high salary" of six yuan a month. Nearly 12,000 "horse feet" who have been running on the Sichuan-Tibet tea ceremony for many years and hundreds of Ma Guotou who have led the way have been recruited. There is no military map to Tibet. The only thing they can rely on is the map in the mind of the horse pot and the horse feet's understanding of the tea horse road. Nearly 40,000 mule and horses were armed with 30,000 bags of stock tea bags and enough supplies and ammunition for 30,000 people a month. The soldiers set out from Ya'an in four batches and began to march towards Tibet.

From Sichuan to Tibet, he walked more than 2,400 kilometers, passing through more than a dozen snowy mountains of more than 4,500 meters, dozens of large and small glaciers, to cross the uninhabited primitive forest and the hidden swamp grassland. There is almost no road along the way, no houses to live in, not enough food, especially not enough oxygen... Entering the province of Tibet, difficulties and tests, the most fundamental danger is the harsh natural conditions to challenge life and survival limits.

At the beginning of October, the land of the Central Plains was still green, but the Tibetan land was already a winter scene of coldness and haze. The white-haired wind passing through the snowy mountains goes down high, freezing the swamp ** into a hard shell outside the yellow soup mud water, like a scab of an abscess. The stars are scattered in the water, large or small, winding to the endless end.

The red clouds slowly moved slowly on the vast sky, sometimes the freezing rain sprinkled down, and sometimes the fine salt-like snow particles were removed. The wind rolled the cold rain, and the reeds and white grass were trembling on the scabs.

Even if there is no wind or snow, there is not much sunshine here. The humid heat wrapped in the southeast Sichuan and the cold wind in the north of Sichuan meet here. It is fog all day long, permeated, covering the water and grassy swamp, embracing small trees, high ports, hills, ponds, mud pools, crisscrossing rivers and streams... In its mysterious veil. It's so wet that even birds don't want to fly. As long as people walk through such fog for an hour, all their clothes will be soaked in water, sticky and wet and uncomfortable, and cold.

And in this rain-like fog, there are bursts of horse bells. Despite wearing raincoats, the soldiers who are still covered by rain and fog carry guns, carrying 200 bullets, six grenades, and dry food bags that have been eaten for ten days. The dry food bags are no longer filled with rice from Ya'an. It turned into barley wheat bought in Changdu.

The soldiers carrying heavy supplies gasped and struggled to walk along the road that was not a road, while some soldiers' backpacks were still hung with thick bamboo pipes, which were the ashes of their comrades-in-arms. The plateau reaction and landslides had taken the lives of hundreds of soldiers.

Wang Chengzhi, who was driving the mule, could clearly see that the dark faces of the soldiers were a little purple. Like all the horses' feet, Wang Chengzhi was born in poverty and was forced to drive the horse for a living, because the tea horse road was not only extremely difficult, but also very dangerous. But now, looking at these soldiers clenching their teeth and insisting on marching there, Wang Chengzhi has no taste in his heart. Although he has long been used to the hard work on the tea horse road, it is really the first time he has met such a desperate group of people.

In the past, when the Qing army entered Tibet, they were all like the horse gangs of the tea horse way. They entered Tibet in March and April, instead of entering Tibet at this time. And when the Qing army entered Tibet at that time, they couldn't wait to divide the road of the day into ten days, where they worked hard here.

"Brothers, work harder!"

On a boulder, an officer gasped and shouted, and under the boulder, a soldier was writing a slogan.

"Pell the British and recover the province of Tibet!"

As a horse's foot, Wang Chengzhi also entered the Tibetan land once this year as in previous years. However, before entering Lhasa, he gave the tea bricks to the Tibetan contractor. At that time, the foreign devils began to fight against Lhasa. It was not easy to earn a few money, and it was not worth his life.

Why do they have to rush desperately to get rid of the foreign devils?

I hope I can earn that money alive!

Thinking about it, Wang Chengzhi looked at the mule beside him. According to the officers and soldiers, they could catch up with this horse. In addition to the monthly pay, they could also divide another mule to the horse's feet, that is, this mule, which made Wang Chengzhi and many horse's feet choose this life-and-death life without hesitation. Everyone knows. What does it mean to rush to Tibet in July?

Life and death are not only testing the officers and soldiers of the Ninth Division entering Tibet, but also testing these horses' feet and those who lead the way. However, they have passed Jiangzi and have no way out. They can only walk forward and march towards Lhasa.

"I've passed the snowy mountains, and I'm burning incense..."

With the shouting of a horse pot, the horse gang stopped. Even the Ninth Division should abide by the rules of entering the Tibetan horse gang at this time. The rule of burning incense on the top of the mountain when crossing the snowy mountain is the rules of the horse gang. In their words, this mountain is full of gods, and they don't respect gods. To be punished by God.

"After this snowy mountain, it's a flat river!"

Staring at the snow mountain Shao Zhenwu in front of him, Li Shaojie said that Li Shaojie was tying the cowhide blindfold to his eyes at this time, which was made by those horse pots. After putting it on, he could only look at a small slit, saying that it could prevent snow and blindness.

"At that time, we will be close to Lhasa. I hope... I hope the British can wait for us!"

Li Shaojie muttered in his heart, but at this time, the military monk had begun to recite the scriptures, and the horse pot prayed like a jumping god in front of the incense platform. Whether it was a soldier, an officer or a horse's foot, they all knelt down. Along the way, they had climbed over more than a dozen snowy mountains, and every time there was a thrilling past. I hope This time... God bless you!

P> Praying in his heart, Li Shaojie, who was gasping because of the plateau reaction, prayed in his heart. At this time, there was another whip. The army was about to cross the mountain. After crossing the other side of the mountain, it was close to Lhasa.

In the past few months, in Bangji Manor, both adults and children, have been very concerned about the chanting of mantras in the temple.

Dakanbu Zaxi, according to Ka Xia's instructions, is presiding over the chanting of mantras in Bangji Temple. At first, it prayed to resist the British from entering Tibet and defend Tibet, but now it is also praying for Tibetans. Although the news from Lhasa said that the British had occupied Lhasa, [***] had retreated to Qinghai in the direction of Tanggula before the British occupied Lhasa.

That is, the big copper horn and small copper horns in the temple keep blowing, the big drums and small drums keep beating, the silver bells keep waving, and the dull sound from the slings. The sound of the lama chanting the mantra is sometimes loud, sometimes small, sometimes thick, sometimes thin, sometimes like a group of wolves howling, sometimes like a group of mice chased by cats, and from time to time mixed with the sad sound of suo made of the girl's leg bones, which makes the atmosphere in the manor more tense and horrible... As a big canvas, although He wears a scoma and a Buddha bead in his hand, but he knows nothing about scriptures. All the "rules" and "precepts" have no restrictions on him. Even if he is cruel or lustful, Ga Xia's orders are always obeyed. Usually, he lives at home and goes to the temple when he has something to do. Now he presides over the chanting of mantras and stay in the temple all day long, busy like peas on a hot pot, jumping around, but no matter how busy he is, he knows what matters now.

Zashi hurriedly called the housekeeper Ciren Dorji.

"It's clear. Do you know that the Han army has never been here with us? When will the Han army come to us?

The reason why he cares so much is very simple. In order to prevent the British from fighting, when Zhaxi transported his family's things to Changdu, Tsren Dorji heard from the people in Gaxia Mansion that the Han army in Sichuan had entered Tibet, and they wanted to enter Tibet to fight those British who did not respect Buddhism, so he naturally paid attention to those Han troops. If When they entered the hiding, they didn't have to run away from Chaochang.

Ciren Dorji bent down, stuck out his tongue, pretended to be respectful, and didn't even dare to make a rude breath.

Seeing his appearance, Zhaxi was very annoying and asked anxiously.

"Haven't you heard the news yet? I really don't know what's the use of your waste"

Tsiren Dorji had already expected that Zhaxi would have to ask about this matter today, and he had already found out. The reason why he didn't say it immediately was that he wanted the master to be anxious for a while. After the master was in a hurry, he would say it again, so as to show his ability and win the favor of the master.

He rolled his eyes and peeked at Zhaxi's face. He felt that if he didn't answer again, the master would really lose his temper, and it would be difficult to do it at that time. So he whispered:

"Sir, I heard that the Han army entering Tibet this time is probably different from the past..."

"Why is it different?"

Zaxi asked rudely, but he hardened his ears again.

"Sir, you know, the Han Dynasty has changed. The Han army that came this time is no longer the Qing army, but the restoration army!"

After listening to this, Zhaxi frowned, paused for a moment, and asked, "The Restoration Army? As long as it's the Han army, I just hope they can block the British!"

"Sir, I don't know if the restoration army can block the British, but since they can take the world, they should be stronger than the soldiers stationed in Tibet, but I am worried that there is a Thai but..."

"I don't care what kindness the Han people, the flag people and the Mongols have. As long as they can block the British, don't let them stand here."

Zaxi stared at Tsren Dorji and waved his hand impatiently. For him, as long as he can block the British and prevent the British from hitting him, it's their business. As for the flag people and the Han people, it's their business.

Thinking about it, Zaxi waved his hand and said:

"I have to stay in the temple these days to pray. You have prepared the grain, yaks and butter tea of the laborers at home. As long as the Han army goes to Lhasa, we will definitely leave. We can't wait for this group of soldiers to slow down. If they come, you can come to the temple again, understand?"

"Yes! "Sir!"

After the response, Tsiren Dorji asked Zha to leave the temple, and Zhaxi was still reading scriptures that he did not understand. He was originally from the origin of reading scriptures, relying on the fact that his ancestors left the throne and the land that guarded the business road.

On the Golden Helmet Mountain, Zaxi's domestic slaves are rushing back to the livestock. With a few shouts, he drove a large group of livestock grazing in the mountain forest to one place. But instead of driving the animals down the mountain immediately, he let them continue to eat the seeded autumn grass leisurely. This kind of grass animal likes to eat the most, and it is easy to get over. This winter will come when the sky sees the sky. Let this animal eat more as soon as possible.

Although these animals are all from the owner's house, they still have feelings for them, because he is with these animals all day and night. He regards these animals as his partners. In his opinion, his fate, like these animals, is not even as good as the animals, because the feed housekeeper of the animals is always given enough and dare not deduct it; but the domestic slaves only have two bowls of moldy glutinous rice glutinous rice rations every day, and they are often deducted. If there is any difference, it is that these animals are slaves of the Zaxi family who can't speak, and they are the animals that the Zaxi family can speak.

He felt that it was more comfortable and pleasant to stay with these friends in this quiet mountain forest than to return to the manor. Because I can't hear the thrilling insults and whips. He was happy to leave that place for a minute and a second, but in fact, he can't leave it - where can he go without this place? Has he left less place in the past ten years? Where is the place where he lives to make a living?!

The horses on the hillside did not know the mood of the herders at this time, but only ate the grass freely. From time to time, several horses chase and fight with each other; some horses seemed to be full, proudly shaking their manes, raising their heads and hiss, so surprised that the birds perched on the trees spread their wings and flew high.

At this time, Na Zhen, a girl who went up the mountain to collect firewood, came to Bianba. As soon as he saw her, Bianba rushed to Nazhen.

"Why didn't you go to work today?"

"How can I not go? In the past few days, the master drove us to the ground with a whip every day. Dad hasn't come back to the Tibetan army, and there is no firewood at home. Just now, the little housekeeper went home to drink barley wine. My mother asked me to take advantage of this time to carry the firewood.

Listen to Na Zhen's words. Bian Ba said quickly.

"I heard that the Huang Maoyang devils occupied Lhasa and drove the living Buddhas out of the Brala Palace. The master asked us to pack things day and night, pack and pack them. Some things were transported to Changdu, some things were hidden in the temple, and some were buried in the ground. Today, I was asked to drive the animals back, saying that they wanted to transport things. In the past few days, we have been so busy that the soles of our feet are almost worn out, and we can't send a bundle of firewood to our mother.

Na Zhen nodded and said.

"Mom also knows that you are very busy. I'm worried that you will be tired!"

She saw that Bianba's Tibetan robes were broken one by one, and the meat on her shoulders and thighs were exposed, so she asked Bianba to sit down, took out needles and thread from her cuffs, and sewed a few stitches on the patches on his shoulders. She knew that Bianba only had this dress, and she couldn't take it home to mend it for him.

Whenever Bianba's clothes were broken, Nazhen's aunt Ciren Wangmu called Bianba to their house, let Uncle Renqing sleep first, and then let Bianba put his Tibetan robe on. The mother and daughter lighted Songming and mend Bianba's broken Tibetan robes overnight. It was in the middle of the night.

When it was almost dawn, Nazhen's younger brother sent his clothes to Zaxi's stables, and then took his father's clothes home. In order to help Bianba mend his clothes, the four people in Nazhen's family often had to be busy all night, which made him very sorry.

"I heard that I'm afraid the Han army will not go into hiding this time! The weather in Sichuan has changed, and the emperor has also changed. If the yellow-haired devils call us from Lhasa, I really don't know what to do!"

There was sadness on Bianba's face. At that time, the master fled to Changdu with his family, but they wanted to stay here. When he was worried, he saw that there seemed to be some movement on the ridge. A dozen horse teams ran towards this way. When he saw the horse team, Bianba pulled out a waist knife from his waist and protected Nazhen behind him. The clothes of the man with the gun on the horse team are different from the Han people he used to in the past, but the leader seems to be a "Ladu".

The horse team stopped when it was still two or three hundred meters away from him, and then the leading Ladu rode a horse and ran this way. The people were getting closer and closer. After seeing the people coming, Bian Ba showed some joy on his face and quickly inserted the knife back into the scabbard.

"Who do I think this is? It turned out to be the Bianba brothers!"

When Bujile, who was riding on the horse, was talking, he took out a tea brick from the horse bag and threw it to Bianba. This is the rule of the horse-running gang on the tea horse road. The first person he saw should leave some tea for others.

"Brother Bujile!"

The sidebar who took the tea brick looked at the people on the right side, and the face blackened by the highland wind was full of doubts.

"The person who came with you is..."

"The Han army from Sichuan came to fight the Han army of the British devils!"

The immediate Bujile was originally a Tibetan. He was born in slavery like Bianba, but his life was better. He saved a dying Mabang Ladu. Later, Najiladu redeemed him with three taels of silver. Later, under his plea, Bujile became a horse's foot. For more than ten years, he not only redeemed his mother and sister. There is also a six-headed mule pony gang.

As soon as Bian Ba opened his eyes, he looked at the dozen officers and soldiers with foreign guns on their backs in surprise. Are they the Han army? Only a dozen people?

"Bianba, get on the horse quickly, tell your family's Tsiren Dorji housekeeper, and ask him to inform Mr. Zaji that the Ninth Division of the Guangfu Army has arrived. Let Mr. Zaji greet him. This brigade is still in the rear. The Manshan brigade tells you the stingy Master Zaji. This time, the Guangfu Army, don't work hard, and give it to Xianyang. "!"

With that, Bujile looked at Na Zhen, who was standing on the side again, pressed down and pressed on the side of the side and said.

"Bianba, if you want to marry Nazhen, just come and lead the way for the Guangfu army! Six yuan a month!"

Listening to this, Bian Ba's eyes lit up and then darkened again.

"No matter how much you earn, it's not for the master! I'm going to inform the master..."

(to be continued)